PEOFESSOE FLOWEE ON THE EECENT ZIPHIOID WHALES. 217 



Description of the Skeleton of Berardius arnouxi. 



I must return to No. 3 of the above list, of which the skeleton has been lately placed 

 among the fine series of Cetaceans in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons ; 

 which fortunate circumstance is due partly to the extremely liberal desire of Dr. Haast 

 that it should be made as available as possible for scientific examination, comparison, 

 and description, and partly to the generosity of Mr. Erasmus Wilson, F.R.S., a Member 

 of the Council of the College, in providing the means of adding it to the collection 

 without expense to the Institution. 



The skeleton is complete, with the exception of one of the pelvic bones, and a few 

 of the phalanges. Although it may have attained nearly to its full size, the condition 

 of the bones shows that the animal was far from adult. The terminal epiphyses of the 

 bodies of the vertebrae are separate throughout the thoracic, lumbar, and caudal regions, 

 though united to the rest of the bone in the neck- vertebras. The epiphyses of both 

 ends of the radius, the upper end of the humerus, and lower end of the ulna are free, 

 but that of the lower end of the humerus has partially coalesced with the shaft. 



The length of the skeleton as now mounted is 29 feet in a straight line from the tip of 

 the lower jaw to the end of the tail ; but, notwithstanding the careful indications kindly 

 furnished by Dr. Haast, it is possible that the allowance made for the intervertebral 

 substance is not quite exact. 



Viewing the skeleton as a whole (see PL XXVII.), the most striking feature is the 

 small size of the head, compared with the great length of the vertebral column, and 

 the massiveness of the individual vertebree, especially of the lumbar and anterior caudal 

 regions. It presents a remarkable contrast to Physeter in this respect, though agreeing 

 generally with the other Ziphiinse. 



Skull.— The cranium agrees so closely in form with the type specimen in the Paris 

 Museum, described and figured by Duvernoy, and subsequently by Gervais, that a 

 detailed description of its external characters will not be required. That specimen, 

 however, is one inch longer than the present one, and probably belongs to a fully adult 

 individual. The most prominent parts of the pterygoid bones are broken off, which 

 alters the contour of the lower margin in the figure ; and the petro-tympanic bones are 

 wanting. The present specimen is quite perfect ; and as a longitudinal median vertical 

 section has been made through it, I am enabled to give for the first time this highly 

 characteristic view (PI. XXVIII. fig. 7). 



As compared with the other Ziphioids, the most remarkable features of the skull are 

 the almost perfect bilateral symmetry of the upper surface and the comparative sim- 

 plicity of the posterior ends of the prsemaxillae, which do not curve forwards to overhang 

 the superior narial apertures as in the other members of the group. 



The vertex is formed by the massive nasals (Na), prominent and rounded in the middle 

 line in front and above, and behind these by a small, but elevated, portion of the 

 united frontals (Fr), which at this spot, instead of being solid, are composed of several 



